You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

Good morning guys! I kick this off this morning hopin everybody is doing well and looking forward this comin Saturday to…some COLLEGE FOOTBALL! YES!

I had our 5 year old granddaughter, Shelby Lynn, here with me this past weekend. She came Saturday afternoon and left Sunday afternoon. By the time she left I felt like I had been run over by a truck! A great BIG truck! LOL!

If I could bottle and sell this child’s energy I’d be a very rich man. I don’t think she has even an inkling as to what a dern chair is used for. She’s wide open ALL the time. “Papa…let’s do this!” “Papa…let’s do that!” Non-stop, unbridled energy!

It was great though.

We went to a pizza place Saturday evening and both of us got…a hamburger! LOL! It ain’t that we don’t like pizza…we just like a good ole burger better!

At bedtime we told each other how much we love one another bout a hundred times, and we’ll see ya in the morning another hundred or so. That was BEFORE we turned the lights out!!
I think around midnight we were actually down for the count!

The title of today’s post is a phrase my Mother has used probably a jillion times. I’m sure many of you guys have heard it a million times yourselves, huh?

I laugh sometimes in my Mother’s use of this phrase as she’d use it often, but in some cases…selectively! Like when I was a hundred years younger and bringin girls home from time to time…to meet Momma.

Some she’d like, some she wouldn’t care for. The ones she’d like, oh man, she’d be just talkin away to, but the ones she didn’t particularly care for, which were mainly the ones I LIKED, she’d just kinda sit and talk…but only when spoken to.

I’d get back home and she’d say, “Dub, don’t you bring that girl back here no more!” I’d say, “But Mom…ya just met her??”

She’d go, “That girl’s trouble, you stay away from her!” Again, I’d chime in, “You always say you can’t judge a book by its cover!”

Her answer…there weren’t no answer. LOL!

Selective book cover judgin…

Anyway, throughout my life I’ve heard this same phrase used by others countless times as well. In reality though, the phrase itself is really very appropriate in most cases.

One example of this phrase, that when looking back I realize now that I had done exactly that. I was judging a book by its cover.

My Deb, God Bless her soul, was a person that was very good in her ability to judge a person. She had “the knack” to look past “the cover,” and to look at the content inside the cover, or when put into human context… “the heart.”

I’m using a guy that Deb came to really think highly of although when I first met the man I wouldn’t have give two cents that he was a man of conviction, and that once you got to know him, he indeed was…a good guy.

He’s worked with us for a considerable time now, and I have to say that I have come to know and admire him for literally…the goodness in his heart. He truly is a very caring person, especially in regards to helping others whenever he can.

His name is Bob, and once more, ole Deb pegged him. She KNEW in her own heart that Bob was in fact…a good person.

The first few times I worked around Bob I knew he wouldn’t last the week. He was kinda slow in doing his job, and good night, that man talked more than I. I chewed that guy out on more than one occasion and Deb would say, “Dub…he’s trying. Have a little patience, okay?”

I’d fire back that patience wasn’t the problem here, it was the inability to get things done, or…burnin payroll.

Now Deb was a very hard worker as well, and she always expected that if someone was working with us that we, not unlike anyone else in business, wanted a good day’s work out of our employees.

The difference she saw in Bob that she wouldn’t tolerate out of others was the simple fact…he WAS trying.

So, Bob stayed on.

As I got to know Bob, I came to understand that Bob was indeed a man of morals, convictions and virtues. He had not been in very good health for many years of his life, but this did not hinder his DESIRE to get out and work, or…EARN his own way.

He has had 5 or 6 heart attacks, and other ailments as well. He IS a legitimate candidate for government assistance, YET…he takes none! This in itself was when “my light” came on in Bob’s regard. His character!

How many people today, and the ones I’m speaking of this morning have absolutely NO desire or motivation to get or hold a job, yet they EXPECT something for free? All advocated by our politicians.

But “ole Bob” takes, nor, WANTS this type of assistance! To be honest this morning, I have come to now know, respect, and even love this guy. I have to say that probably the word “admire” is an even better description of my feelings towards Bob.

Bob’s means of transportation? A bicycle. I’ve seen Bob pedaling that dern bike miles from home. Ya ask him, “Ya wanna throw that bike here in the truck and catch a ride home?” His answer most times… “No thanks, I’m fine.”

People in the area today have gotten into the habit of leaving “stuff” outside their gates for Bob to pick up and either use for himself, or take to the scrapyard and sell. We all see that Bob takes, or asks for anything. He is a very proud man in that regard, and we all now “pitch in” to help him in different ways.

One neighbor, Patty, was concerned about his bike riding at night. This is when Bob goes around pickin up the items left by neighbors for him. It is cooler at this time.

So, Patty picks up lights for Bob’s bike and little trailer he pulls behind to haul his stuff in so that he’s clearly visible to traffic.

He has come to understand me as well, I believe. I’m a pusher, a guy that pushes himself, and others around me to get a project done, done well, and in a timely fashion. Bob and I have worked through our own problems with each other, put them behind us, and now literally focus on doing things…the right way!

I have no qualms at all in stating that Bob has become an asset to us, and as, and if, we grow…Bob will grow along with us.

Bob and I also speak together at times of religion, and our own religious beliefs. He is much more attuned to this than I. I learn from Bob in this regard.

I also look at Bob’s physical shortcomings and find his love and faith in God so admirable. I look no further than myself and wonder…if I were tested in such a way, would I, or even could I, be so upbeat and have such a positive outlook on life if I were in the same type of situation.

Again, to me, I admire him for things just such as this. He really is a fine example of when dealt lemons…make lemonade.

I hope I haven’t bored you guys to sleep this morning, but I felt in my heart I ought to give Bob the credit he deserves. He IS a true testament to the phrase… you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Now, in today’s world there are far too many examples of…you CAN judge a book by its cover. I mean, if you look at “the cover” in regards to people and their actions, often, if you take a moment to look inside its cover and read a chapter or two, you do find that there are examples of the cover actually pointing to what is inside…in someone’s heart.

Yesterday I saw that at the RNC, Code Pink was out protesting “Pro-Life,” in costumes depicting vaginas, for God’s sake?? Many with signs stating, “Read Our Lips.” Maybe it’s just me, but I find such actions literally appalling.

Is this what we’ve become as a society? God help us.

Today sadly, I see a Nation that was founded with a strong moral conviction in God that has somehow been turned around and is becoming…anti-God is SO many ways. God is being taken out of so many things be it through political correctness, or even the destruction of the family unit.

People have thrown away the ideal that neighbor helps neighbor, that we scrimp and save, especially during hard economic times, and that we lean on each other for support. This is our Christian upbringing.

Yet today, none of this is advocated. We’re taught that our government should feed, clothe and house us. Many of our political figures have become “icons” in their own eyes and decided that THEY know best in how to run our lives, our businesses, and even how to raise OUR children.

Looking at our National debt, the poverty aspect they have been going “to fix” for how many generations now, sucking billions from our economy and taxpayer pocketbooks, the lack of jobs, good education for our children (look at our rankings worldwide anymore), the lack of moral, spiritual, and virtuous conduct by these same “icons” today, leaves me with a very sad vision in regards to the future of our Country.

In God We Trust, One Nation Under God, even the phrase Merry Christmas are all looked upon as “wrong” by today’s elected officials and their cohorts.

This will, and is, going to come back to haunt us…big time.

When you take God out of the equation, which our leaders, our media, and our educational systems have done…there will be a day of reckoning, trust me.

I was told about a book just last week by a good friend of mine, Gary, from up around the Ocala area. It is called “the Harbinger,” and was written by Jonathan Cahn.
If you haven’t read this, I suggest you do, I believe you will like it.

In closing I’d just like to state once more the admiration and respect I have for people such as Bob.

A strong work ethic, a sense of self-worth and reliance, a good heart that enables him, even in his own situation, to still have the desire and motivation to help others less fortunate than he. To me, this is all part of, and because of…his own faith in God.

You guys all take care, and God Bless you and yours. Have a great day and be sure you keep…a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb

This entry was posted in Ridin out the Recession. Bookmark the permalink.

4 Responses to You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

  1. Gerry says:

    I read with great interest your article and believe me Dub. I was so very impressed, in fact if you were any closer to this Britisch Columbia I’d lasoo you and put you in our pulpit and tie you down, thank you so much for your eye opening story some of us needed I’m sure.

    • admin says:

      Dern Gerry, thanks my friend for such kind words, BUT…I didn’t realize you could read??? LOL!

      How ya been man? I sure hope all is goin well for you my friend! I guess Eleanor and Deb are probably goin out shoppin together by now, huh? I imagine they look down at those two bablin fools they were married to and go, “How in the world did we put up with those guys,” huh? LOL! Keep the faith buddy! We’ll get the opportunity to aggravate them again someday!

      Give me a call buddy…ANYTIME. Looks like I’ve misplaced your number again…don’t have Deb to keep up with everything for me now. Don’t feel bad though. AIf you’ll look up a comment or two you’ll see I’ve just asked Sandy to resend me her number as well…lost it too!

      Take good care and God Bless! Love ya my friend!

  2. Sandy Grant says:

    DITTO !!!!!!!!!!!! to Gerry’s remarks

Leave a Reply to admin Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>